Fabio Capello had dinner with England general manager Franco Baldini on
Thursday night to receive a detailed briefing ahead of his critical meeting
on Friday with John Terry at which he hopes to decide whether or not to
retain the defender as his captain.

Both Capello and Baldini will travel to the Football Association’s headquarters at Wembley early on Friday morning to continue the discussions while the England manager can also be expected to meet FA chairman Lord Triesman and chief executive Ian Watmore in his first day back at work following his knee surgery.

Capello will then, along with Baldini, meet with Terry on Friday afternoon after the player finishes training at Chelsea around lunch-time.

There have been suggestions that the manager will summon Terry to Wembley, and there are security advantages to that, but it’s likely that the trio will gather at a more informal location, probably a private address.

The manager is determined to have the face-to-face meeting with Terry and feels that is vital to his decision. He wants to hear first-hand, and not through reports, from Terry about his alleged affair with the former partner of England team-mate Wayne Bridge and, importantly, the effects he believes this will have on the squad and the player’s standing within it.

Furthermore Capello will want to hear if there are any further revelations about Terry’s private life which may come out and will express his general unhappiness at the 29 year-old’s off-field conduct.

Capello was unimpressed by Terry’s decision, for example, to start a newspaper column and by the claims that he accepted cash in return for a private tour of Chelsea’s training ground at Cobham, Surrey. He does not understand why Terry, who is paid £150,000-a-week by Chelsea, feels the need to try and earn extra money.

Ideally Capello would like to decide on the matter on Friday with the release of a statement on Friday evening. However he accepts that he may not be able to gather all the information he needs and complete his deliberations.

He is acutely aware that he would prefer not to fly out to Warsaw on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s Euro 2012 draw — when he will have to face reporters — with uncertainty which would mean the event becomes 'the John Terry show’.

However he will not be pushed and a final announcement may be delayed.

Capello flew back into Heathrow on Thursday, from Switzerland, where he has been recuperating from the knee operation and was met by a media scrum demanding answers over Terry’s future. The 63 year-old looked angry as, aided by the FA’s head of security Ray Whitworth, he pushed his way through.

Continually asked about Terry’s future, Capello replied: “I have just arrived. No comment, please, no comment.” The attention will annoy and irritate him. Although Capello is under no illusion as to the interest in the issue, and the media spotlight, he will not have taken kindly to have been placed in this position by Terry.

Capello accepts that he is well-remunerated - £6 million-a-year — and part of that is to deal with such matters but he is believed to be appalled at Terry’s lack of professionalism. However he retains an open mind over Terry’s future until the pair meet.

Capello will also eventually speak to Bridge and on Thursday Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini revealed that he had talked to Baldini earlier this week about the defender.

“I spoke with Baldini on Monday morning when we went in front of the famous panel (the FA work permit hearing at Wembley as City tried to sign McDonald Mariga). Baldini asked me about Wayne and I told him that he is training every day and it’s not a good moment in his head but it’s not a problem on the training ground.”

There have been strong suggestions that Bridge would find it impossible to share the same dressing-room as Terry and may withdraw from international football. Asked whether he felt the left-back would play for England again, Mancini said: “I don’t know about that.”

Fabio Capello timeline

12pm Capello leaves Geneva on a flight to London. The Italian has spent the last few weeks recuperating from knee surgery at his holiday home in Lugano.

1.30pm Wrapped in a grey scarf, Capello limps through Heathrow Terminal 1 to a media scrum. “No comment, please, I just arrive. Wait,” he says as he is eased into a waiting car.

2.30pm Capello arrives at his home in west London.

8pm Capello meets Baldini for dinner in London and receives a full briefing on the affair.

Friday Capello will travel to his Wembley office to talk to FA chief executive Ian Watmore and chairman Lord Triesman. Once he is fully up to speed, he will summon the England captain for a meeting.